Printer cartridges typically include a toner hopper, which is configured to store toner. The toner hopper usually has a toner port where toner is drawn out during printing. Printer cartridges are typically packaged with a toner seal to prevent toner from escaping from the toner port during shipment or handling. The toner seal is typically a removable piece of material, such as plastic, which is laid and adhered to the surfaces surrounding the toner port. In some cartridges, the toner seal is removed by hand by the end user.
In some other cartridges, such as the cartridges for Hewlett Packard's HP4700 and HP9000 printer, the toner seal is removed by a seal spooling mechanism built within the printer cartridge. The seal spooling mechanism operates in a manner wherein after the printer cartridge is introduced into the proper printer, the seal is wound around a spool thereby removing it from the toner port. The toner port is consequently opened, and the toner may then be used for printing.
Used printer cartridges are often remanufactured. The remanufacturing of printer cartridges may include cleaning, repairing damaged parts, replacing worn parts, and adding toner. The toner hopper seal may be one of the worn parts replaced during remanufacturing. The new toner hopper seal may be introduced from one side of the toner hopper through a seal passage. For cartridges with seal spooling mechanisms built within the cartridge, a spool frame may block the access to the seal passage. To gain access to this blocked seal passage, re-manufacturers may break the frame bridge (reference no. 32 in FIG. 2), which connects the spool holders of the spool frame. Re-manufacturers may then remove a sealing plug and insert a new seal. One problem with this method is that the frame may break or become susceptible to breaking, as the supporting structure for the spool frame, the frame bridge, is broken. As a result, the re-manufactured seal spooling mechanism may not properly work, or the remanufacturing may not be completed without finding a replacement frame. Another problem with the existing method is that it does not provide a way to secure the sealing plug after the new seal is installed. The unsecured sealing plug may detach and cause toner leak during shipment, handling, or use. Methods and devices for effectively remanufacturing cartridges with toner seal spooling mechanisms are desired and are addressed by the present invention.